Moran takes BFL Super Tournament on Sandusky Bay

SANDUSKY, Ohio – Boater Dan Moran of London, Ohio, won the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Buckeye Division Super Tournament on Sandusky Bay with a two-day catch of 10 bass weighing 39 pounds, 1 ounce. The victory earned Moran $4,149 and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Kentucky Lake Regional Championship in Gilbertsville, Ky., Oct. 18-20, where he could ultimately win a new 519VX Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.

Moran caught his bass throwing a tube near rock piles and grass.

Rounding out the top five boaters are Dick Shaffer of Rockford, Ohio (10 bass, 35-14, $2,441); Bryan Coates of Amherst, Ohio (eight bass, 33-11, $1,625); Jared Rhode of Port Clinton, Ohio (10 bass, 28-8, $1,139); and Chuck Willis of Dayton, Ohio (eight bass, 28-6, $976).

Jim Hull of Sidney, Ohio, took home the Boater Division Snickers Big Bass award, earning $600 for a 6-pound, 8-ounce bass.

Steve Sorrell of Beavercreek, Ohio, earned $2,441 as the co-angler winner thanks to nine bass weighing 31 pounds, 6 ounces that he caught while fishing a green pumpkin tube near rock piles and grass.

Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Bruno Murphy of Cincinnati, Ohio (five bass, 17-9, $1,220); Shirley Richardson of Harrison, Ohio (seven bass, 17-5, $814); William Gordon of Newark, Ohio. (seven bass, 16-13, $570); and Kevin Horn of Columbus, Ohio (five bass, 13-4, $488).

Gary Hoffman of Stoutsville, Ohio, earned $300 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 6-pound, 8-ounce bass.

Following the end of regular-season competition, the top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers based on year-end points standings in the division will advance to the no-entry-fee Kentucky Lake Regional Championship where they will compete against top qualifiers from three other BFL divisions. At the Regional Championship boaters will fish for a new Ranger boat and Chevy truck and co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger boat. The top six boaters and top six co-anglers at the Regional Championship will also advance to the 2008 All-American presented by Chevy. With a total purse of $1 million, a potential $140,000 cash prize going to the winning boater and as much as $70,000 going to the winning co-angler, the All-American is one of the most prestigious and lucrative events in bass fishing. The winning boater and winning co-angler at the All-American also advance to the no-entry-fee $2 million 2008 Forrest Wood Cup. This event, featuring a top award of $1 million, is the sport’s biggest championship.

The $8.8 million Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League features 28 divisions nationwide. In BFL competition, boaters and co-anglers are randomly paired. Boaters supply the boat and fish from the front deck against other boaters while co-anglers compete from the back deck against other co-anglers.

Named after the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, Forrest L. Wood, FLW Outdoors administers the Wal-Mart FLW Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Series, Stren Series, Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League, Wal-Mart Texas Tournament Trail presented by Abu Garcia, Ranger Owners Tournament Championship Series, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye League, Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Series, Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series and Wal-Mart FLW Striper Series. These circuits will offer combined purses of nearly $43 million through 241 events in 2007.

Wal-Mart and many of America’s largest and most respected companies support FLW Outdoors and its tournament trails. Wal-Mart signed on as an FLW Outdoors sponsor in 1997 and today is the world’s leading supporter of tournament fishing. For more information about Wal-Mart, visit Walmart.com.

For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournaments, browse FLWOutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000.